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Arrival in Cazhaak Draal
Mol, Lharvion 16, 993 YK 200 days until the Day of Mourning Returning to Xor’chylic’s chambers, the party was dismissed from his presence so as to allow him time to digest the information he’d acquired from the Elder Brain. Gin decided to leave the assassin with the Dark Lantern agent stationed in Graywall to transport the elf back to the King’s Citadel for questioning. After dropping him off and picking up their weapon commissions from Szalas Jal, the party decided to retire at the Golden Dragon Inn. There, they noticed Midian Mit Davandi’s rival adventuring party sitting at one of the tables. Gin, using detect thoughts, determined that the others were waiting for the party to get closer to their goal before making any moves. Essentially, they wanted the party to do the majority of the legwork. The party concocted a plan to divert Midian’s team to the Whispering Wood instead of following them to Cazhaak Draal. Gin disguised himself as Rohagar and stayed at the bar with Siegfried. Ixen went around town for a bit. While out, he came across a kobold messenger that asked a couple questions and was taking careful notes of what Ixen answered. Ixen returned to the inn shortly and pretended to deliver a message to Rohagar relating to new information they had uncovered about the Ashen Crown. Gin, as Rohagar, “accidentally” dropped the note on their way upstairs. Meanwhile, Siegfried received a note on the bottom of his beer glass saying simply “Where is he?”, likely referring to the assassin they had been asked to drop off at the Inn. Glancing about the common room, he spotted two elves partially cloaked in shadow. Realizing they were likely members of House Phiarlan, he tried to draw them out. He headed to the restroom and waited as one followed. In the adjacent hallway, he discovered that the elf following him was Sailla d’Phiarlan, masked by illusion. She seemed to know nothing about the assassination and came to deliver a document to Siegfried, prompted by Mallora. The document was a set of Order of the Emerald Claw enlistment papers for Leliana Arkalis. Siegfried took his leave and went to blow off steam at the Tharask training ring and at the arena, but found no satisfaction in the violence. On his return, he noticed a hooded warforged at a table and found it to be Hydra. The two said little to each other and Hydra indicated that the Lord of Blades had no qualms with the party. The following morning, the party packed up the wyverns, leaving the Husk of Infinite Worlds at House Tharashk with Rohagar, and headed to Cazhaak Draal. Zor, Lharvion 19, 993 YK 197 days until the Day of Mourning The flight to Cazhaak Draal was relatively uneventful. Along the way, they spotted a veritable army of petrified humanoid figures. As they approached the city, the wyverns found it increasingly difficult to stay aloft and were forced to descend and land, walking the last ten miles or so to the city. The party was able to determine that there was some magical affect impeding flight emanating from the city’s general area and extending for miles. Such magic requires either a singular, powerful source or a series of repeated magical applications. Getting to the city required crossing a lengthy stone bridge in the shape of a massive snake. Once inside the bustling metropolis, the party had many options available to them. Choosing to avoid any direct mention of the Ossuary, they searched out a city guide and asked for a map that included many historical locations. Siegfried chose to investigate the largest temple to the Dark Six in the area, while Ixen and Gin headed back out the city with a caravan to explore the petrified army referred to as the Stoneghosts. They spent some time investigating the stone soldiers, finding the bulk to be Dhakaani in origin, but also finding many individuals that predated the Dhakaani and some that were far more recent. The Dhakaani were generally faced in the direction of the city, as though marching on it, while others were fleeing away from the city when turned to stone. At no point did they find any evidence to suggest the petrified individuals moved, as many rumors seemed to suggest. After some time by themselves, they encountered a stone giant named Ur-han that seemed to be meditating amidst the Stoneghosts. He indicated that he considered the Stoneghosts his flock and believed their souls were trapped in restless. He does what he can to soothe them. Siegfried, in the meantime, made his way to the temple of the Dark Six. He briefly spoke with a blind medusa priestess who asked him why he had come. During their conversation, there was a mighty crash outside and he could hear screaming and running. Upon investigating, he saw a man striding through the city, accompanied by four others. This man raised a hand toward a stone building and clenched his fist. The wall closest to him immediately shattered and crumbled. He called to those listening, saying “Your queen cannot save you. Join us or become the stone foundation on which our new world is built.”